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HOF - Banner Apr 2025

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UK - Over the past year, White Light has continued to expand both its services and expertise across a variety of entertainment fields. Whilst remaining the leading theatrical lighting supplier, the complete production solution specialist has recently supported touring concerts for artists such as 50 Cent and Frankie Valli, historic occasions such as the Magna Carta 800th Anniversary, as well as festivals such as the Winslow Hall Opera and Glastonbury. One of the most significant developments has been its expansion into audio and video. As a result, White Light now requires a team of freelancers who can help support the company as the demand for its services in both areas continues to grow.

At the start of 2015, White Light formed its very own audio department. Fronted by Head of A

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UK - High Kirk Presbyterian Church in Ballymena, Co. Antrim, Ireland, recently installed Allen & Heath GLD digital mixers as part of a major refurbishment project.

The Church purchased two GLD-112 desks - one for live sound and one for recording - plus, an AR2412 and two AR84 IO expanders. The two desks were fitted with M-Dante network cards, providing simple to use multitrack recording capabilities.

The Church needed to satisfy a variety of operators with the choice of console. Some only use the desk one or two times a month, whilst others are professional sound engineers.

"During the demo, the more we looked at it, the more we realised how perfect the GLD was for our requirements - a single solution which totally eliminated our need for outboard equipment. Furthermore, all of our operators have their own preferred "layout" but with 28 faders and 4 layers, it

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Italy - Fedez's tour follows the success of his album Pop-Hoolista, which was a permanent fixture in the top 20 for more than 24 weeks, earning him a double platinum award. His tour of arenas and clubs included challenging venues, like the Mediolanum Forum just outside Milan and the PalaLottomatica in Rome.

Lighting designer Francesco De Cave reports, "Fedez impressed me with his way with words. He knows just what he wants. I conceived the tour and the ideas for the set design with Mario Zappa, from F&P Group, in response to Fedez's own ideas. Fedez wrote the show himself. In my role as lighting designer, I looked for several ways to fill the interludes, some with lights and some with visual effects and sounds. These interludes are necessary transitions between one piece and the next to allow costume changes and glue together the different parts of the show Fedez ask

HOF - Banner Apr 2025
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ETC Halcyon Silent

High End Systems Halcyon Silent builds on ETC’s legacy of fanless automated fixtures by incorporating features from the highly sought-after Halcyon family. Halcyon Silent perfectly balances silent operation with brilliant output of 18,400 lumens and high-impact features. 

For more information visit us at www.etcconnect.com

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UK - JoeCo is celebrating seven years of BlackBox Recorder and BlackBox Player development with a worldwide Anniversary Sale. Starting 1 August, customers will have an opportunity to buy some of the manufacturer's most popular products at specially discounted prices. Products on offer include the 24-channel BlackBox BBR1-B balanced analogue recorder, the 64-channel BBR64-MADI Recorder and the new flagship BBR1MP Recorder.

JoeCo's founder, Joe Bull, began developing the 1U multi-channel BlackBox Recorder in 2008. The first 24-channel system, released the following year, was hailed as a revolutionary solution for live multi-channel audio capture. It offered live engineers a computer-free, high-quality solution for recording, virtual soundchecking and archiving performances. The recorder quickly gained the first in a series of awards for its groundbreaking technology. Over the year

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New Touring Series by Gravity – Every Scratch Has A Story

When the stage heats up, you need equipment that can keep up without compromise. The Gravity Touring Series has been specifically designed to meet the highest demands – for rental companies, professional musicians, concert organizers, and large event venues. Premium materials, exceptional durability, and impressive longevity make these products stand out. Whether on tour, in constant use, or under the toughest conditions: the Touring Series delivers maximum reliability and performance – every day, on every stage.
FIND OUT MORE >>>

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Italy - During the first stage of the latest edition of the Giro d'Italia, the Royal Hotel Sanremo asked Pico Service to illuminate part of the hotel building's façades. The lighting service company proposed an uncluttered solution designed to avoid disturbing hotel guests.

The Royal Hotel was built on a privileged site in 1872 . The Hotel rises towards the sky with its white façades and overlooks the sea, just a short walk from the centre of Sanremo. It is surrounded by more than 19,000 square yards of lush subtropical park.

It is therefore necessary to make sure normal hotel business can go on as normal while the lighting control systems and lights are installed around the selected façades, and - at the same time - ensure the lighting gives spectacular results.

Pico is the Royal Hotel's official lighting service firm. It knows all the hotel's needs and all the features

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UK - Well known lighting industry professional Karl Lawton has joined the team at TSL as head of production engineering.

Karl was originally bitten by the lighting bug at school and subsequently graduated from Rose Bruford College with a BA Hons degree in lighting design. Karl has built a reputation as a highly skilled freelance crew chief and engineer, over the past 12 years, with involvement with a wide variety of concert, touring projects and large scale special events.

Karl will be taking overall responsibility for the coordination of TSL's full time and freelance crew and resources and overseeing all aspects of pre-production and project planning. Karl will also be actively involved on-site with the delivery and implementation of TSL's full service projects.

(Jim Evans)

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AZOR® SP2 IP - Compact IP65 Spot Profile Moving Head

Compact design and IP65 protection for indoor and outdoor applications: the new AZOR® SP2 IP is the ideal solution for open-air events and outdoor theatres that require a powerful, weatherproof lighting system. An optimal partner for lighting designers and event service providers looking for a versatile LED show light in a compact housing.

AZOR® SP2 IP – the next generation of robust, weatherproof, and compact lighting for maximum creative freedom, both indoors and outdoors.

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UK - Roland has announced the global launch of the O.H.R.C.A M-5000C Digital Mixing Console. This console closely follows the launch of the award winning O.H.R.C.A M-5000 console earlier this year. Measuring under 30 inches (74 cm) in width and weighing just 70 pounds (32kg), the compact M-5000C offers all the flexibility and power of the M-5000 console but in a smaller footprint - making it suitable for touring, broadcast, theatre and live performance. The M-5000C will make its debut to the European market at the forthcoming IBC Exhibition (Amsterdam RAI, 11-15 September 2015).

Using the same O.H.R.C.A (Open High Resolution Configurable Architecture) platform that has made the M-5000 so popular with engineers, the M-5000C brings a new dimension of user configurability to consoles of this size at an affordable price-point, says the company. The O.H.R.C.A. platform delivers 128 f

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South Africa -The Hollard Insurance Group, South Africa's largest privately owned insurance group, has invested in low consumption Anolis LED lighting to enhance the exterior signage at the Hollard Campus, a landmark property situated in Parktown, Johannesburg.

HKLM were the brand agency of the upgrade and commissioned DWR Distribution to install eight Anolis ArcPad 48 RGBW integral fixtures to illuminate four Hollard signs. This was Grant Joubert's first lighting assignment as the new architectural sales consultant at DWR.

The project consisted of two separate buildings, each with their own balcony. Each balcony was equipped with two Anolis ArcPad 48 fixtures which had to produce a 5m throw to reach a Hollard sign mounted on the opposite building.

A DMX cable ran between the fixtures, connecting them to a controller. Control was via Nicolaudi SLESA-UE7. "With this cont

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USA - Dallas-based rental and production company Gemini Light, Sound & Video recently added 480 Elation EPT6IP LED video panels to its inventory and immediately took the 6.7mm pixel pitch panels out on a major summer tour and high profile event with more to come.

"We had been searching for quite a while for a good touring LED panel and visited the InfoComm show in 2014 with the goal of finding one we could use in 2015 and beyond," stated John Stem of GeminiLSV, whose criteria for the panel included high resolution, IP65 rating and sturdy touring frame. They were also looking for a panel that was just as comfortable indoors as out. "Prices continued to drop after the InfoComm show and when product specialist Red Walter from Elation showed us the EPT6IP, it fulfilled our needs," John says.

It was a previous positive experience with Elation LED panels that pro

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UK - West London based rental company Entec continues its working relationship with Portishead. Entec first started working with Portishead through their previous lighting designer Tony Austin, who also originally asked current LD Niall Hannell to come on-board, initially as a programmer in April 2008. Niall took over as LD last year.

This summer Entec supplied a floor specials, control and WYSIWYG package to Portishead's three latest high profile shows at Montreux Jazz, Benicassim in Spain and Latitude festival in the UK along with a surprise bijou show at Cardiff University.

The whole rig was a really tight design based around the innovative cinematographic work of video director John Minton. The band like it dark and stark, a lighting aesthetic ideally suited to the overall look and feel they wanted to evoke, and the rig was also designed to be as simple and practical as po

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UK - Rap superstar 50 Cent and his group G-Unit returned to London on 17 July for a one-off gig at the O2 Arena. Produced by Musicalize, they approached White Light to act as lighting supplier.

White Light's project manager Josh Yard comments,"This concert ticked every box for us. Not only were we working at a prolific venue but also supporting one of the most notable names in the music industry today." During the concert, White Light worked closely with lighting designer Fraser Elisha who was tasked with constructing the lighting set-up for the evening. He comments, "For this particular show, I wanted an edgy look that would suit the style of music being played. I wanted the whole production to be as immersive as possible and for the lighting to play a holistic role in the overall experience for the audience. Fortunately White Light was able to help me achieve th

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UK - Staff from Martin Audio subjected themselves to a real endurance test recently when they took up the Grand Union 50K Challenge, organized by Action Challenge. That's 31 miles in old money!

Encouraged by team captain Sophie McCurdy, strongly supported by Simon Bull, the team - which also included David Morbey, Maureen Hayes, Nigel Meddemmen, Debbie Moore, Andy Baldwin, Lydia Blackwood and Russell Lee - set out at 9am from Watford's Cassiobury Park and finished at 10.30pm. The total walking time was nine and a half hours (plus rest stops) and the route took them along the Grand Union Canal through Hemel Hempstead (11k), Tring (26k), Leighton Buzzard (40k) and finishing in Stoke Hammond.

"We finished together as a team and showed great morale and camaraderie throughout the walk - although we were very tired afterwards," admits Sophie. "It was an excellent team

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Czech Republic - Robe helped launch Yaron Abulafia's new book The Art of Light on Stage: Lighting in Contemporary Theatre at the 2015 Prague Quadrennial. Robe is sponsoring this work by the artist and award winning lighting designer.

The launch - attended by over 300 guests - took place at the Hybernia Theatre in central Prague. The book is the first history and analysis of theatre lighting design that brings the story bang up to date, with Yaron exploring the poetics of light and charting the evolution of lighting design against the background of contemporary performance.

The book launch - presented with a conversation between Yaron and Nick Moran, senior lecturer in lighting for live performance, BA Theatre Practice Course Team at London's Central School of Speech & Drama - was a success and one of the highlights of the 2015 PQ.

Says Robe's CEO Josef Valchar, "

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UK - With a major roster of artists on its books - and one of its long-term charges Ed Sheeran recently undertaking a stadium tour, UK-based rental company Major Tom Ltd was eager to keep its digital audio systems constantly evolving.

"We had been looking at investing in an Optocore system for a while, admits Major Tom's Andy Banks. "We have been massive DiGiCo users since they started out, and as such have always used the Optocore products within the DiGiCo set up."

But recently they purchased their own independent system, comprising multiple X6R and V3R converters with Mic In, Line Out and AES boards. Banks explained that this was a co-ordinated move from both analogue and AES copper to fibre: "We knew it would make FOH runs smaller and lighter and give greater efficiencies, with the requirement for far greater channel capacity over far less cable."<

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Namibia - The National Theatre of Namibia has taken delivery of an ETC Ion control desk, thanks to ETC's South African dealer Prosound.

Prosound's general manager Ian Blair says:, "We recently did an extensive upgrade for the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation, and on one of our follow up visits, we called in at the National Theatre of Namibia, where we met technical and IT manager Jack Francis Jnr and head of lighting Asser Kauazunda.

"Asser and Jack advised that their current old theatre console had reached the end of its life - but, with the upcoming Independence Theatre Festival, they really needed a new desk, and fast."

Blair recommended the ETC Ion control desk, plus fader wings for additional hands-on control.

"We couldn't offer an Ion straight away, because all our demo desks were out at theatres in South Africa - but we were able to get an ETC G

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UK - Paolo Nutini recently played a concert at Millennium Square in Leeds, UK, right in the city centre, for which the production (flown) lighting rig of Robe BMFLs, Pointes and LEDWash 600s was supplied by locally based Zig Zag Lighting for event promoter Futuresound Events.

Paolo's lighting designer Jason Hyne brought his touring specials package in 'underneath' this, and combined the two lighting rigs to create another stunning and dramatic show that thrilled the 7000 enthusiastic fans at the sold out show.

Zig Zag works regularly with the promoter and is familiar with the 14m square and 10m high stage / roof system which is owned by the council. It has only limited weight loading, and Nutini's production with its strong video elements required the accommodation of their large touring LED screen. So by the time this was installed, the weight left for lighting fixtures was t

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UK - Blackout's sewing department manufactured a bespoke drape for Take That's 2015 tour, used as the projection surface for a magical shadow puppetry scene, April 2015 - October 2015.

Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald are making their way across Europe on a 51 date tour; their first as a three-piece band. Renowned for their impressive production - think Progress Tour's OM Robot - the 2015 tour is no different, with a myriad of standout moments to make the crowd go 'wow'.

One of these is the moment when the 'under-the-sea' scene is revealed to the audience, complete with psychedelic jellyfish.

Looking for a way to keep the scene change hidden from the audience, Take That's production team - led by Chris Vaughan - contacted Blackout. The company's in-house fabrications department manufactured two 38m wide by 17m drop white poly-lined drapes.

On a curved truss, the dr

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Weather Report - The final day of Lollapalooza music festival ended early after a second severe storm threatened Chicago. Florence & the Machine finished their set with Dog Days before running off stage on the final day. Earlier tens of thousands of festival-goers had to leave the city's Grant Park as lightning threatened the area. Fans were told to evacuate and go to one of three underground parking garages designated as emergency evacuation shelters.

Windy City - Edinburgh Fringe's first dedicated circus venue has been forced to delay the opening of its larger auditorium due to bad weather. Underbelly's Circus Hub on the Meadows has announced that shows running in the 750-seat Lafayette tent will no longer open on Friday 7 August after strong winds prevented organisers from putting the cover over the tent's structure. Shows will now begin on Monday 10 August. Six

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UK - UK - Jands Vista v2 has been specified to provide control for all lighting aspects of Lego Friends to the Rescue, an all-new live show spectacular which recently opened at the Legoland Windsor Resort.

Lego Friends to the Rescue is set in the resort's new land, Heartlake City, which recreates the fun and colourful world of the popular Lego Friends toy range.

During the show, guests join Heartlake City's five female characters on an action packed adventure which is full of music, dance and special effects. Dominating the effects is the harbour's lighthouse, which is pixel mapped with over 700 RGB LED emitters using a Traxon Dot media string wrapped around the structure.

Lighting contractor, A.C. Special Projects Ltd. (ACSP) specified the Jands Vista S1 console to control the lighthouse LEDs in addition to the stage lighting. ACSP Director, Lance Bromhead, co

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Italy - At the beginning of the summer, Rome's San Giovanni (St John Lateran) Square hosted a reported crowd of a million people of all ages from all over Italy, gathered in support of the family, in favour of children's rights to have a mother and a father, and making an apolitical and non-denominational protest against the introduction of "gender ideology" in schools.

The company with the task of ensuring that such a large crowd managed to follow every word of the speakers alternating on stage was Cipiesse (Centro di Programmazione Spettacoli) Srl, founded in 1979 and headquartered in Rezzato (Brescia).

Cipiesse partner Marco Riva, responsible for meeting the event's demanding requirements as far as sonic quality and intelligibility were concerned, explains, "As well as the event's sound reinforcement, our company also supplied the stage and backdrop, support

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France - Over 16,000 people attended the 40th anniversary concert of the Orchestre Nationale de Lille (ONL) in July. It was the first time the orchestra had performed in the impressive Pierre-Mauroy stadium just outside Lille, usually reserved for premiership football matches. However, the stadium's extraordinary design in which the northern half of the pitch lifts up and slides over the southern half to reveal a 'showcase' arena for concerts and indoor sporting competitions complete with terraced seating below pitch level, provided the perfect venue for this momentous occasion. Indeed, the event ticked off a number of 'firsts'; the first time for the ONL in the venue which is the first of its kind in Europe, and the first time that a full RAVENNA digital network has been deployed on a live event of this scale.

"It was an impressive setup," recalled digital audio speci

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